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You don't need a garden to grow your own herbal tea. A sunny window, a few pots and a little routine are enough to keep mint, chamomile, lemon balm and thyme going right through the cold months.
This guide covers which herbs do well indoors, how much light they really need, how to water without drowning them, and how to harvest and dry what you grow.
Start with the right window
Light is the one thing most indoor herbs are short on. Most herbs want around six hours of direct sun a day. In the Northern Hemisphere, a south-facing window gives you the most light, followed by a west-facing one. East and north windows usually aren't enough on their own in winter.
If your brightest window is still dim, a simple LED grow light fixes it. Hang it a few inches above the plants and run it for about 12 to 14 hours a day. A plug-in timer makes this effortless.
Two winter details matter too: glass gets cold at night, so keep leaves from touching it, and keep pots away from radiators, which dry plants out fast. Most herbs are happiest around 60 to 70°F (15 to 21°C).
Eight herbs that grow well on a windowsill
Mint
The easiest herb to start with and the fastest to fill a pot. Give it its own container, because it spreads aggressively, and keep the soil lightly moist. Peppermint and spearmint both make a refreshing tea.
Lemon balm
A relative of mint with a bright lemon scent. It's forgiving, tolerates a little less light than most herbs, and its leaves make a gentle, calming tea that many people enjoy in the evening.
Chamomile
German chamomile grows easily from seed and produces the small daisy-like flowers used for tea. It needs your sunniest spot or a grow light to flower well indoors. Pick the flowers when they're fully open.
Thyme
Compact, hardy and happy on the dry side. Thyme is a kitchen staple and has a long tradition in warm drinks with honey during the colder months.
Sage
Soft grey-green leaves with a strong flavour. Like thyme, it prefers to dry out between waterings. Use it in cooking or steep a few leaves for a traditional tea.
Rosemary
The trickiest of the list indoors, but worth it. Rosemary wants lots of light, good airflow and soil that drains well. It dislikes both soggy roots and bone-dry soil, so check it often.
Basil
Not a classic "medicinal" herb, but a cheerful one to grow alongside the others. It loves warmth and bright light and will sulk near a cold window.
Chives
Nearly impossible to kill, and they regrow every time you snip them. A good confidence-builder for first-time growers.
What you need
- Pots with drainage holes. About 6 inches (15 cm) wide is a good size for one herb. No drainage hole means soggy roots.
- Potting mix, not garden soil. Garden soil packs down in pots and can bring pests indoors. Add a handful of perlite for rosemary, thyme and sage.
- Saucers or a tray to protect the windowsill.
- Seeds or small plants. Chamomile, basil, chives and parsley are easy from seed. Mint, rosemary, thyme and sage are easier to start from a nursery plant or a cutting.
A quick trick for mint: put a 4-inch (10 cm) stem from a store-bought bunch in a glass of water on the windowsill. Roots usually appear within one to two weeks, and then it's ready to pot.
Watering without overwatering
More indoor herbs die from too much water than too little. Push a finger into the soil: if the top inch (2.5 cm) is dry, water until it runs out of the bottom, then empty the saucer.
Group your pots by thirst. Mint, lemon balm, chives and basil like steady moisture. Rosemary, thyme and sage prefer to dry out a little between drinks. In winter, everything grows slower and needs water less often.
Heated rooms get dry. Setting pots on a tray of pebbles with a little water in it (with the pot sitting above the water, not in it) adds some humidity around the leaves.
Feeding and pinching
Herbs don't need much food. A liquid fertiliser at half strength every four to six weeks is plenty while they're actively growing, and less in the darkest months.
Pinch off the tips of basil and mint regularly. It feels wrong at first, but it makes the plants bushier instead of tall and leggy.
Harvesting
Harvest in the morning, when the leaves are most aromatic. The golden rule: never take more than about a third of the plant at once, so it can recover. Snip stems just above a pair of leaves, and new growth will branch from there.
Drying and storing your herbs
Tie small bundles with string and hang them upside down somewhere dark, dry and airy, or spread leaves on a clean towel. Most herbs dry in one to two weeks; they're ready when the leaves crumble easily. Chamomile flowers can be dried flat on paper.
Store the dried herbs in airtight glass jars away from light and heat, and label them with the name and date. They keep their flavour best for up to about a year.
A simple windowsill tea blend
Once you have a harvest, try this: one teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers, half a teaspoon of dried lemon balm and a few mint leaves. Pour over a cup of hot water, cover and steep for five to ten minutes. Add honey if you like.
Herbs have been used in traditional home remedies for centuries, but they aren't a substitute for medical care. If you're pregnant, nursing, take medication or have a health condition, check with your doctor before using herbs regularly.
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Quick recap
- Give herbs your sunniest window or a grow light for 12 to 14 hours a day.
- Use pots with drainage and potting mix, and keep mint in its own pot.
- Water when the top inch is dry, and less in winter.
- Harvest no more than a third at a time, and dry extras for tea.